President Donald Trump mentioned the chief of the Venezuelan opposition would not have the “respect” of the nation to manipulate following the ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The U.S. led a collection of strikes within the South American nation early Saturday, ultimately capturing Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, and taking them to the U.S. to face narco-terrorism costs.
Opposition chief and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado celebrated the operation and seize in an announcement, calling it the “hour of freedom.”
“As of at present, Nicolás Maduro faces worldwide justice for the atrocious crimes dedicated towards the Venezuelan folks and towards residents of many different nations. In gentle of his refusal to just accept a negotiated resolution, the Authorities of the US has fulfilled its promise to uphold the rule of legislation,” Machado mentioned.
Trump, who mentioned he has not been involved with Machado, mentioned throughout a press convention on Saturday that he would not imagine she will be able to assume the management position in Venezuela.
“I believe it will be very powerful for her to be the chief. She would not have the assist inside or the respect inside the nation. She’s a really good lady, however she would not have the respect,” Trump mentioned.
Maria Corina Machado, laureate of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, speaks throughout a information convention in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 11, 2025.
Lars Martin Hunstad/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photos, FILE
Trump additionally introduced the U.S. will “run the nation” because it transitions into new management.
“We’ll run the nation till such time as we are able to do a protected, correct and even handed transition,” Trump mentioned. “And it needs to be even handed, as a result of that is what we’re all about. We wish peace, liberty and justice for the nice folks of Venezuela.”
Venezuelans react to Maduro’s ousting
Political analyst Liz Alarcón, with experience in Latin America and U.S. Latinos, rejected the notion that Machado would not have the respect of the nation throughout an look on ABC Information Reside.
When requested if there’s a probability for Machado to run the nation, Alarcón replied, “That’s precisely what exists already.”
“What we wish to see is, after all, the assist of all the worldwide group, together with the US, to oust an illegitimate chief like Nicolás Maduro from the nation … however we additionally need our will as Venezuelans inside and outdoors of the nation to be revered,” she mentioned.
Alarcón mentioned that can consists of Venezuela being run by leaders akin to Machado or Edmundo González Urrutia, who ran towards Maduro within the election final July.
In her assertion, Machado known as on the army to acknowledge González Urrutia because the rightful president of Venezuela.
On this June 10, 2025 file photograph, Venezuelan President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez speaks in the course of the occasion ‘Venezuela, Reminiscence and Justice’, on the European Parliament headquarters in Madrid, Spain.
Europa Press Information/Europa Press by way of Getty Photos
Impartial exit polls confirmed González Urrutia obtained two-thirds of the votes, and the U.S. mentioned “overwhelming proof” supported his victory, however Maduro claimed he gained the election and didn’t cede energy.
ABC Information’ Chief World Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz informed “Good Morning America Weekend” that it is unclear how the army will reply to the ousting of Maduro and that the U.S. is keeping track of the scenario.
“Right now, we’re able to implement our mandate and to take energy. Allow us to stay vigilant, energetic, and arranged till the Democratic Transition is achieved — a transition that requires each one among us.” Machado mentioned.
Alarcón informed ABC Information Reside that many Venezuelans are celebrating the downfall of Maduro however wish to make certain his regime is not changed by the same one.
This consists of not putting in any of Maduro’s allies who’re nonetheless in Venezuela or one other determine who would not respect the “democratic will of the Venezuelan folks,” she defined.
Individuals have a good time on the Bolivar sq. in Caracas on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro.
Luis Acosta/AFP by way of Getty Photos
“What I wish to see is for these nonetheless in energy in Venezuela to obtain ensures, to exit peacefully, and to offer solution to the freedom that so many Venezuelans right here in Doral, the place I dwell… had been screaming and chanting and wanting and meaning liberty from everybody and to see the nation ruled by those that we elected,” she mentioned.
Venezuelan-American journalist José Enrique Arrioja, talking to ABC Information’ Gio Benitez, known as the operation a “stunning collection of occasions” and a “historic second” for each Venezuela and Latin America.
Arrioja, who has been masking monetary markets and politics in Latin America for greater than twenty years and is the managing editor of the journal Americas Quarterly, mentioned the operation confirmed a daring new technique the Trump administration can be taking within the area.
“It has been a really [mixed] response. The scenario in Caracas as we communicate proper now, Gio, is calm. Individuals shopping for groceries, shopping for fundamental staples forward of is likely to be differ unsure week, if not months, forward,” Arrioja mentioned.
“We have now a regime that was broadly unpopular since final 12 months after they usurped energy after the July 28 elections,” he continued. “It has been simply coping with an elevated repression, extra authoritarian regime.”
Maduro’s supporters condemn US operation
Whereas many detractors celebrated Maduro’s seize, his supporters condemned the U.S. for finishing up the operation.
Venezuela Vice President Delcy Rodriguez addressed the nation on state tv demanding the discharge of Maduro and saying he’s the one president of the nation.
“We had already warned that an aggression was underway underneath false excuses, underneath false pretexts, and that the masks had fallen and it had just one goal: regime change in Venezuela — and the seize of our vitality, mineral, and pure sources,” she mentioned in an tackle in Spanish. “That’s the true goal, and the world and the worldwide group should understand it.”
“We have now convened this Nationwide Protection Council. … From right here, we demand the rapid launch of President Nicolas Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores. The one president of Venezuela: President Nicolas Maduro.”
Rodriguez known as on civilians and armed forces throughout the nation to mobilize and to defend the nation.
On this March 10, 2025, file photograph, Venezuela’s Vice-President and Oil Minister Delcy Rodriguez addresses the media in Caracas, Venezuela.
Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/Reuters, FILE
“United as a nation, the Venezuelan folks will discover a path of peace and calm. Those that resort to pressure, those that resort to violating worldwide legislation — they don’t have proper or purpose on their aspect,” she mentioned. “We have now historic proper and ethical proper on our aspect, and we’ll stand agency in defending peace, calm, Venezuela’s future, the folks’s declare to their homeland, and their proper to hope and social well-being.”
Rodriguez’s feedback demanding for the “rapid launch” of Maduro contradict what Trump mentioned she had informed Secretary of State Marco Rubio throughout a “lengthy” telephone dialog held Saturday.
Trump claimed on Saturday that Rodriguez mentioned she is able to work with Washington and that “she’s primarily prepared to do what we predict is critical to make Venezuela nice once more.”
ABC Information’ Dada Jovanovic and Victoria Moll Rordriguez contributed to this report.
